Malloy proposes no increase in school funding

Updated 12:00 am, Thursday, February 19, 2015

HARTFORD -- The governor wants to hold the line on the state's funding to public education, a move that comes as a relief to some districts and may spell disaster for others.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's proposed budget for the next two years would add no money for the state's $2 billion Education Cost Sharing Grant, and would reduce special funding for some struggling urban districts while cutting $8.4 million from higher education.

"This budget is filled with tough choices," Malloy said during his budget address to the Legislature on Wednesday. He insisted, however, that holding funding steady was better than a cut.

Some grudgingly agreed.

"When state funding remains stagnant, the burden falls upon the local taxpayers," said James Richetelli Jr., the chief operations officer for Milford Public Schools. "On the positive side, we are relieved to hear that the governor is not proposing a cut in ECS funding, which would force very difficult decisions to be made."

Milford gets $11.3 million in ECS funding.

In Fairfield, which gets $3.6 million in state funds, Schools Superintendent David Title did not predict much of an impact. Neither did Shelton Schools Superintendent Freeman Burr, whose district gets $5.2 million in school funding.

"I think what is important is he is not recommending a decrease," Burr said.

In Bridgeport, however, where interim Schools Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz said she needs $7 million more in 2015-16 just to maintain a status quo budget, the news was taken hard.

In Bridgeport, three quarters of the school budget -- $178.9 million -- comes from the state. Rabinowitz said she was counting on a $5 million increase from the state and $2 million more from the city to pay for salary increases, more students, and higher utility, transportation and insurance costs next year.

Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch was in Hartford to hear Malloy's speech. He said he was just happy the district wasn't cut.

"In this very difficult climate, obviously, everybody is going to have to do more with less," he said.

The governor's proposal is the opening move in a budget process that will stretch to June.

Some schools would get more

The state budget did increase funding for some schools.

There is $36 million in new money for magnet schools and $12 million in the next fiscal year for charter schools. The following year, charter schools get an additional $9.9 million to grow and expand.

Ben Barnes, the state budget chief, said the new money helps the state satisfy its obligations under the Sheff v. O'Neill desegregation settlement and allows charter schools in Bridgeport and Stamford, approved by the state Department of Education last year, to open this fall.

Barnes acknowledged the plan may be hard for Bridgeport.

"No question," Barnes said. "I would point out, however, we had to make a lot of cuts in this budget to support flat funding."

Malloy, who in his first term promised to reform education and work to close what amounts to the state's so-called achievement gap, insisted he was not backtracking.

"While other states may choose to balance their budgets on the backs of public schools, Connecticut will not," he said. His plan also retains money put in the budget last year for preschool slots, but does not add to it.

Higher education cuts

His plan would cut $8.4 million from higher education, a move that some worry will lead to higher tuition and fees.

"What you will do is widen the income gap, and you're reducing the access to higher education," said state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton.

Boucher said she would first look to reprioritize spending.

Board of Regents President Gregory Gray said it is too early to tell if the cuts will lead to higher tuition.

"I do know as we start to figure out the numbers we will try to keep it as far away from students as possible," he said.

Under the plan, the system of 17 state colleges and community colleges would be cut 5.5 percent next year.